Was Shot Five Times With Automatic Shotgun,
After Having Fired at Slayer--
C. G. Arnold Surrendered

Bay City was thrown into a frenzied state of
excitement Saturday afternoon by a pistol and shotgun duel between
retiring Mayor Max G. Klein and C. G. (Charley) Arnold, which took
place at Mr. Arnold's home on Ninth and Avenue E, near the Southern
Pacific freight depot. The result of the duel was the death of Mr.
Klein, who received five discharges of buckshot from an automatic
shotgun fired by Arnold.

The trouble grew out of a demand made by Mr.
Klein for the payment of a past due water rent bill. Mr. Klein being
superintendent of the city's waterworks system as well as mayor. Mr.
Arnold deferred the payment, it is said, and on Saturday the mayor
sent Will Lowe, who has charge of the meters, etc., to cut the water
at the Arnold home off. He was accompanied by City Marshal J. A.
McNeal. Upon the arrival of these two gentlemen, Mr. Arnold objected
and an argument came up, McNeal and Lowe finally agreeing to let the
water stay on provided Arnold would pay the rent due. This, it is
said, he agreed to do.

About this time Mr. Klein arrived in an
automobile and getting out drew an automatic pistol and began
shooting at Arnold. Arnold retreated into his house and secured his
shotgun. Returning, he fired five shots into Mr. Klein in that many
seconds, each shot, it is thought taking effect. The shells were
loaded with buckshot.

When Arnold began to fire, Mr. Klein turned to
run and ran the distance of over a block, before he succumbed to
exhaustion. Assistance reached him instantly, an automobile employed
and a hurry run was made for the hospital. Mr. Klein died within a
very short time after he was shot.

Immediately after having fired the pistol
[shotgun] shots Mr. Arnold surrendered to the authorities and is now
in jail awaiting an examining trial.

This is a tragedy that is very much deplored and
the shock the city sustained is a distinct one. Coming up, as it
did, over such a trivial affair, it is very regrettable. Indeed,
much more so, when it is known that Mr. Klein was fixing the affairs
of the city in order to turn them over to his successor, John
Sutherland, who was elected to the office of mayor on the 3d of this
month.

Decedent was elected mayor of Bay City two years
ago, defeating Mr. Sutherland and B. E. Norvell. At the primaries
held on the 10th day of March, this year, Mr. Sutherland defeated
Mr. Klein. The nomination was ratified by the voters of the city on
the 3d of this month, and Mr. Sutherland having 30 days in which to
qualify was waiting on Mr. Klein to get the city affairs in a shape
to turn over to him and relinquish the office at his own
convenience.

Mr. Klein leaves a widow and four daughters. He
was a pioneer citizen and had been prominently identified with the
business interests of the city for many years, being a prominent
drygoodsman and rice farmer. Only last week be bought four city
business lots and was preparing to improve them, intending, so this
paper has been informed, to engage in the automobile business in
addition to his other business affairs. His family connections are
prominent and rather extensive, in Wharton and Victoria, one of his
brothers being mayor of Victoria.

The funeral occurred in Cedarvale Cemetery this
morning and was attended by one of the largest concourses ever
witnessed by the citizens of Bay City.

Matagorda County Tribune, Friday, April
13, 1917

Klein was lame-duck city head in 1917

Mayor died collecting $3 water bill

EDITOR'S NOTE: Every politician loves to lay
claim to a "first," to get that asterisk next to their name saying
he or she was the first to build a new city water plant, or perhaps
the first to lower taxes. Max G. Klein, mayor of Bay City from
1915-17, holds claim to a "first" as well, but not the kind any
other mayor will likely want to take from Klein. Here is Klein's
story:

If on that fateful Saturday of April 7, 1917, Bay
City Mayor Max G. Klein would have paused a moment to reflect on the
events of the past month, he probably would have decided that things
just had to start getting better.

To an already successful career as farmer and dry
goodsman, Klein had hoped to add a career in politics.

But less than a month before, Bay Citians had
rudely dashed those hopes, electing instead John Sutherland to yet
another term as mayor.

Then there was this matter of the war in Europe.
Only Friday, April 6, America had declared war on the home of
Klein's parents--Germany. Not that that should have mattered. After
all, the mayor was born in America--in Victoria, to be exact.

Klein had a beautiful two-story home in the heart
of Bay City occupied by his wife and young daughters. Only last
week, he'd purchased several lots in the city, intending to add an
automobile dealership to his business holdings.

In only a few days, Klein would be able to again
devote full time to his business interests and perhaps things would
start picking up.

But before he could do all that, Klein knew that
his final duties as a lame-duck mayor required him to get the
affairs of his office in shape for Mayor-elect Sutherland.

To this end, Klein had applied his most
whole-hearted efforts, with a penchant for order and an attention to
detail so stereotypically German.

That was what Klein was doing on this April 7,
1917--trying to take care of some unfinished business. The mayor was
attempting to personally correct an overdue water bill owed by one
C. G. Arnold. The local newspaper would later characterize this as a
"trivial incident," but that was an evaluation with which Klein
would never have the opportunity to voice an opinion.